Peters



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WINDMILL.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. L. PPAFF.

WINDMILL.

No. 379,125. Patented Mar. 6, 18 88.

WITNESSES.

N. vnina Pholo-l ihng pher. Washinglon, n a

UNITED STATES (Enron;

ISAAG PFAFF, OF DANSVILLE, NEW YORK."

WINDMILL.

- $PBCIPICATIN'formingpart of Letters Patent No. 379,125, dated March 6.1888.

Application filed June 29, 1887.

Serial No. 242,884. (No model.)

useful Improvements in Windmills; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full,

- clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and

to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification,in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedwindmill and vane. Fig. 2 is a top or plan viewof the same, in dottedlines. Fig. 3 is a vertical central section through the wheels andgearing on line or 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectionon line 3/ y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a View of one of the wheel-hubsdetached. This invention relates to improvements in turbine wind wheels;and it has for its objects to improve the construction of the wheels, toemploy a double pair of oppositely revolving wheels, and which can beemployed independentlyof each other or together to operate thedriving-shaft of the mill, and to improve the vane thereof so that it.will yield quickly to violent gusts of wind, whereby the danger of themill being blown down by reason of a sudden blast of wind striking thevane and wheels broadside will be obviated.

To these ends the invention consists in thepeculiar and novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustratedin the drawings, and particularly specified in the claims heretoappended.

Referring to the drawings by-letters, A designates a vertical fixedshaft rising from suitable supports, (not shown in the drawings,) andhaving a reduced portion, a, near its upper end, and astill more reducedportion, B, above portion a, the junctions of the portions formingshoulders I) c, hereinafter referred to.

O designates a hub, preferably of metal, fitted upon portion B of shaftA, and supported thereon by abutting against shoulder c, as shown. Thishub is prevented from vertical play by means of a collar and set-screw,D, as shown. From diametrically-opposite points of hub O extend arms orshafts E E, which have shoulders e formed on them near their junctionwith hub O. The shafts E E stand in line with showing the vane displacedeach other, and the lateral movement of one shaft E will, through hub O,correspondingly but oppositely move the opposite shaft, so that saidshafts will always be diametrically opposite each other on hub G. On oneshaft E is a wi nd-wheel, and on the other shaft is a wheel and vane, ashereinafter described.

F designates a hollow shaft mounted loosely on portion a of shaft A,below hub O, and supported thereon by abutting against shoulder b, or inother suitable manner, so that it can rotate freely thereon. At theupper end of shaft F,'just below hub G when the latter is in position,is a bevel'gear, f, by means of which the shaft F is rotated.

G G designate the wind-wheels, which are constructed and mounted onshafts E E as follows:

H designates a' spool-shaped hub, provided at its opposite ends withupstanding annular flanges h h, as shown. These flanges h h are radiallyand angularly slotted, as shown, and in these slots are secured theinner ends of the propeller-shaped blades I I, which are set diagonallyacross the hubs H, by engaging in different opposite slots in flanges hh, as shown. By reason of the spool shape of hubs H H the blades I I arefirmly supported thereby and the weight of the hubs greatly reduced. Thewheels G G are constructed similarly, but are placed on the shafts E Eon opposite sides of the hub, so that they face in oppositedirections-that is, one wheel revolves to the right and the other to theleft. On the inner ends or faces of hubs H H are formed or rigidlysecured bevel-gears J J, which are adapted to mesh with the gear f andactuate the shaft F. The wheels G, being on opposite sides of wheel fand rotated in opposite directions, will impart the same direction ofrotation to shaft F, as is evident. The wheels G G are kept fromlongitudinal displacement on shafts E E by means of collars K andset-bolts k therein, so that by properly adjusting these collars thegears J can be held in or out of engagement with gear f. The gears J Jare prevented from binding on hub O by reason of the shoulders e ofshafts E, as shown.

It will be observed that both wheels rotate independently of each othersshaft, and that each revolves on, and not with, its supporting-shaft.Consequently I am able to make these parts of my mill much lighter thanwould be the case if the shafts had to revolve, and thus greatlylightenthe weight of the mill and attain a light running or action of thewheels G. The wind, escaping through the front wheel, E, strikes theblade of the inner wheel and revolves the latter, as is evident.

If desired, only one wheel E may be employed in running the mill, theother being disengaged, as described. By this means the mill can be runwith more or less power, as may be required.

L designates the vane, which consists of an inner supporting fixedportion, Z, and an outer adjustable portion, M. hinged to the outer edgeof part l, as shown. The part Z is provided centrally and longitudinallywith a sleeve, m, which fits over the extended end of one shaft E andsecures the vane in position thereon.

On the faces of partsZand M opposite their hinges are arranged thedevices for adjusting part M, and thereby throwing the mill into or outof working position, and for regulating its movements in fluctuatingwinds. These devices are as follows:

N designates a short horizontal bar on part 1, playing through a guide,a, thereon and pivoted or hinged at its outer endto an outstandinghinge, O, on part M. The inner end of bar N is connected by a link, 0,with a vertical hanging lever, P, about centrally thereof, as shown.This lever P is pivoted to the part Z at its upper end, and its lowerend passes through a suitable guide or keeper, 1), below link 0. Thelower end of lever P is connected to ropes Q Q, which pass through eyesq q near opposite ends of part Z. By means of these ropes and eyes thelever P can be shifted. The outward movement of lever P, acting throughits connections upon part M, causes the latter to turn on its hinges andswing to a position at right angles to part Z and in line with wheels EE. (Shown in dot ted lines, Fig. 2.) \Vhen in this position the mill isout of working position, as the wind does not strike the wheelsG Gproperly to actuate them. It is obvious that by retracting lever P thepart M of vane L will be brought back to its proper position and themill be ready for action.

In order to permit the yielding of the vane when subjected tofluctuating winds, and yet hold part M in normal position independentlyof ropes Q Q, I provide a spring, It, one end of which is fastened tothe part Z, the other end to part M on the same side of the vane as theadjusting devices. Now,it is obvious that when part M is swung around,as indicated,

tension will be put on spring R, and when the displacing power isreleased the spring will return the part M to proper position. Now,

should the vane be struck broadside by the wind,the part M, which isthelarger and main part of the vane, would yield to the wind and relievethe shock and consequent danger to the mill and turn the wheels to facethe wind gently and not violently, spring R aiding this action of thevane.

The lower end of shaft F may be provided with suitable gearing or otherconnecting devices for imparting the force of the mill to the desiredmachinery.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a windmill, thecombination of the fixed shaft carrying a revoluble driving-shaft, and ahub above thelatter shaft provided with diametricallyopposite arms, withthe oppositely-facing wheels mounted on said arms, respectively, and thegearing between the hubs of said wheels and the revoluble shaft,allsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a windmill, the combination of the fixed inner vertical shaftcarrying the exterior drivingshaft provided with a bevel-gear at top,and a revoluble hub mounted on said inner shaft above the driving'shaftand having diametrieally-opposite arms, with the oppositely-facingwheels loosely mounted on the arms of said hub and provided withbevel-gears on their inner ends for engaging the gear of thedriving-shaft and rotating the same, and a vane on one of said armsoutside its wheel, all substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the main supporting-shaft A, the hollow shaftF,andits gearf, mounted thereon, of the hub 0, ha ving opposite arms EE, journaled on shaft A above shalt F, with the opposite wind-wheels G,loosely mounted on arms E E,and provided with gears for engaging thegear f, each of said wheels being longitudinally adjustable on its armE, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.

4. In a windmill, the combination, with the revoluble support for thewind-wheels, of the vane L, composed of an inner fixed portion, Z,mounted upon the wheel-support outside the wheel, and an outer enlargedportion, M, hinged to part Z, as described, and the devices for shiftingpart M, consisting of the hinge O on part M, the pivoted lever P on partZ, the connecting-link between said lever and hinge, and theactuating-rope for said lever, and the controlling-spring R, for theparts of the vane, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC L. PFAFF.

Vitnesses:

A. L. LA BOYTENAX, J osEPH KRAMER.

